Wilderness,
I believe that years ago they also had ice harness racing on Lake George in NY. Here is a great article discussing it:
OTB,
There was much ice racing in NY.
Many of the small towns in norther-NY and along the St. Lawrence Seaway offered un-sanctioned ice racing (nearly all the ice-racing was unsanctioned and not recorded because the races were only for a quarter-mile).
One of the early issues of Hoof Beats or Harness Horse had a photo of Lake George on the cover and a picture of the ice racing.
Vic Fleming and his three sons (Charlie, Will and Jimmy) used to participate every year in a winter festival in upstate NY. There's even a photo of the four of them attending and in winter clothes.
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The following from the March 17, 1932 Trotter and Pacer mag and "Twenty Years Ago" (1912) column:
Winners over the ice at Lake George. N. Y., were The Merchant (Wicker), Robert R. (Russell), Sir Archer (Lucia) and Mary Singer (Russell).
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The following from the March 6, 1940 Harness Horse:
Lake George Ice Races (see also Princess Vonian beats The Widower)
Lake George, N. Y., February 25-Five spirited events were decided today, George Washington trimming the freefor-all class handily with Princess Vonian 2:04 not starting due to her match race with The Widower 1:591/2, scheduled for March 3d. Senator Brooke 2:141/4 by The Senator 2:031/2 trimmed the Class A field with three smart halves. Duncan Forbes 2:15 by Johnnie Duncan laced the Class B field. There was a large crowd in attendance as the racing was exceptionally good.
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from Feb 28, 1940 Harness Horse:
Lake George, New York Ice Races
Lake George, February 18-A big program of dash races was contested today, there being several features not on the regular program, including an exhibition by Princess Vonian p, 2:04, Queen of the winter ice meets. W. Ellis Gilmour of Saratoga, N. Y., owner of Princess Vonian drove her along with the Class A horses, though she did not compete in the class. She finished first in 1:041/2-1:04-1:051/2 handily. There is also a rumor, that there will be a match pacing race in the near future between Princess Vonian 2:04 and a member of the Vic Fleming stable from Syracuse.
There was a match pacing race today between George Washington 2:06 by Guy Abbey and Napoleon Patchen 2:061/2 by Napoleon Direct, Sheriff Ed Baker driving George Washington and Gerald Roider handling Napoleon Patchen. The first dash was a rip-roaring struggle, the two horses going a dead heat. But the next two heats and race were won by George Washington.
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There was a winter festival on a channel of the St. Lawrence Seaway (Canadian side) that held ice racing each year and into the early 1980's. There's an article (used to be active on my former websites) were John Campbell spoke of racing there.
Many of the top names in the sport attended and participated.
What ended this winter festival was the requirement of liability insurance and the prohibitive costs to the small towns.
Many other states had ice racing into the 1950's and '60's.
These days, most states don't have any in attendance for the pari-mutuel overnights.
Forget about getting fans to come out for the fairs and the possibility of any ice racing.
